Some of the world's rarest archive material is proving a lucrative business venture for an Oxford firm, writes Sarah Parker.

Timeframed, which is based in Summertown and Detroit, produces authentic limited editions of archive material for the international collectors' market.

Chairman Steve Ayres said: "Timeframed unlocks history by presenting this material in a new and unusual way by researching countless archives to produce a range of wall hangings and leather-bound portfolios.

"The original documents would sell for a small fortune, but by authentically reproducing them so that they are virtually indistinguishable from the original, Timeframed has created collectible memorabilia that is rare and valuable in its own right."

The company has licences covering archives worldwide, including the Public Record Office, the British Library, the MCC and the Louvre. It is releasing 40 editions a month covering categories from art and media to natural history and sport.

Timeframed was launched in 1998. The management team spent a year developing credible reproduction techniques and aggressively licensing archives around the world.

Mr Ayres added: "We could have launched sooner, but we felt it would be commercial suicide to flag up our idea without having key licensing deals in place."

Timeframed aims to increase its output from 40 a month to 100 as more archives are signed. The company hopes to open a string of regional offices to license local archives and develop new products.